Clock-controlled contact device



June 10, 1930. E. s. OSTLER CLOCK CON TROLLED CONTACT DEVICE 2 Shgts-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1925 June 10, 1930. E. s. OSTLER CLOCK CONTROLLED CONTACT DEVICE Filed Aug., 10, 1925' 2 sheets-sheet 2 fzz/ezzZoz M)? 601112; W, da /6 Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST S. OSTLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO STROMBERG ELECTRIC COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE CLOCK-CONTROLLED CONTACT DEVICE Application filed August 10, 1925.

My invention relates to clock controlled contact devices, such as might be used in a master clock for controlling secondary clock mechanism.

5 One of the objects of my invention is to provide such a contact device which will require only a small amount of power to operate it.

A further object is to provide such a contact device which will be operated by an oscillatable member, and which will offer a balanced resistance to oscillation.

A further object of my invention is .to provide such adevice in which the oscillatable member is in the form of the spring finger provided with opposed stops.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a device with a removable conductor by means of which the frequency of the periodic contact may be changed.

In the drawings in which my invention is illustrated,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the contact device and escapement which controls it;

Fig. is a plan view of Fig. 1; and

F ig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

The construction shown comprises an escapen'ient mechanisnl 1 and a periodically actuated switch device 2 controlled by the escapemcnt. The switch device is so designed that it may be caused to make a contact on each oscillation of the verge shaft 3 and so that by removing a conductor strap, it will be caused to make a contact to close the circuit only on each alternate oscillation of the verge shaft. The escapement mechanism itself may be of any usual or suitable construction comprising an. escapement wheel 4, the verge 5 operated thereby and the oscillatable verge shaft 3 on which the verge is mounted, this verge shaft transn'iitting impulse to the pen dulum 6 through the verge wire 7 in the usual. manner. The contact device comprises an upwardly extending finger 8 in the form of a leaf spring mounted on the verge shaft 3 and a pair of similar circuit closing devices on opposite sides of the upwardly extending oscillatable spring finger. The right hand circuit closing device comprises a pair of leaf spring contact members 9 and 10, a pair Serial No. 49,196.

of metal stampings 11 and 12 on which the contact members 9 and 10 are mounted, respectively, an insulating base 13 on which the stampings are secured by screws 14, and a binding screw 16 threaded into the metal stamping 12. The insulating base 13 is mounted for pivotal adjustment on a supporting bracket 17 by means of a screw 18 extending through the bearing openings 19 in The other left hand contact device is quite I similar to tl at just described, except that in the left hand contact device the binding screw 16 is threaded into the inner stamping 25, whereas in the right hand contact device the binding is threaded into the outer stampin g 12. In order to hold both contact devices against the respective adjusting screws, a coil. compression spring 26 is placed between the two contact devices which tends to separate them.

The two outer stampings 12 and 27 are electrically connected by means of a curved conductor strap 28 which is detachably secured to the stampings by means of screws 29. In a similar manner the two inner stampings 11 and 25 are electrically connected by means of a conductor strap 30 secured to the stampings by means of screws 29.

If. both conductor straps 28 and 30 are in pla es, the circuit will be completed on each oscillation of the verge shaft. If the longer conductor strap 28 is removed, the circuit will be con'ipleted only on the right hand swing of the oscillatable lever spring. If the shorter conductor strap 30 is removed and the longer strap 28 left in place, the circuit will be completed between the binding screws 16 only upon the left hand swing of the oscillatable spring finger. In order to limit the oscillatory movement of spring finger 8, an insulating block 31 is mounted thereion on which, in its movement, engages the upper ends of the inner stampings l1 and 253. The upper end of the oscillatory spring 8 is 'pl'O- vided with an impact member or hammer 3E2 insulated from the spring itself, which enthe contact members 9 and altercly and on right hand swing moves the contact 9 into engagement with the contact 10 and on its left hand swing; moves the contact "meet with the contact 3%. hath conductor straps 2S and 80 are in 1'' left swi of the spring contact circuit completed from the left nii 1g screw it; through the st and 3%. long conductor lllflg if. to the right hand binding in the right hand swing of the inner, the circuit is completed it hand iinding screw 16 through short conductor strap 30, :acts 9 and 10 and stamping 12 to binding screw 16. f course, if eit' one or the other of the conductor str is removed, it will prevent the compl llOl'l wi the circuit on one or the other of the ar of the oscillatory spring finger.

a :0 operation requires a very small amount of Jow-r, due to the lightness of the spring S and the spring 10:33 and contact members 9, Tim two circuit closing devices afford a balanced res stance to the movement of the oscillatory leaf springactuator. i ovement of the leaf spring is limited by rent of the insulating buffer 31 with the upper ends of the stampings or bra :kets 11 and lly adjusting" the screws 20 the cont :ict dcvi ces may be moved to\ aid or away from the leaf spring actuator 8 to any the duration of the cont; ct.

While I have shown but one form of my invention. it is to be understood that I do not desire to limit myself to this particular construction since many changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparture from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a periodically oscillatahle member leaf members opposingthe action of said resilient means thereon.

2. The combination with a periodically oscillatable member. of an oscillatable leaf spring mounted thereon, two pairs of leaf s; ring; contacts. the two contacts of each pair being normally out of engagement with each other and ad ted to be moved into engagement with each other periodica ly by the direct spring action of said oscillatable leaf spring, means for connecting the two pairs of contacts in parallel. relation to each other. a, supporting base member for each of said pairs of contacts and merns for mounting said base member; for adjustment with respct to said oscilla ab e leaf spring, conipri.-.-ting a coa t1 between said base the S no away from each it i r and a screw for i' ring one of said base ibers toward the other.

l i combination with a periodically oslnfiable member. of an oscillatable leaf no mounted on said member, a pair of pring contacts normally out of engageh each and moved into enc-r )eriodicallv by the of aid oscillatable leaf mann the mm'ement of spring to prevent it 'l'rom movement of said leaf and m nus for UlJIlSt'EIQ" the pring contacts with rehle leaf spring to vary s: d contacts are moved 0 engagement. Stilt stop being movable with aid contact-s under the influence of said adjusting means.

l. The combination with a periodically oscillatable member. of an, oscillatable leaf spring mounted member a le f spring contact in 1 actuated. periodically by the dirict spring action of said oscillatahie leaf sprinin a supporting member on which said spring contact is mounted. said supper: lll fiillltil having a portion constituting a stop to limit the movement of said oscillatable leaf spring to prevent it from causing excessive movement of said leaf spring contact, and means for adjusting the position of said suppoi ring member to more said leaf spring; contact and said stop portion correspondii ly with. re-

spect to said oscil latahle leaf spring.

The combination with periodically oscillatable means having; a normal amplitude of oscillation, of a pair of contact men'ibers periodically brought into contact with each other by the action of said oscillatable m anus, and means for ensuring uniform contact making action between said contacts con'iprising a yieldahle oscillatable member for etl'ecting contact between said contact members, a portion of which has an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of said periodically oscillatable means, and means for limiting the amplitude of portion of said yieldable oscillatable member to a definite amplitude (less than that which it would. otherwise have due to the normal amplitude of oscillation of said periodically oscillatable means).

6. The combination with periodically oscillatable means having a normal amplitude of oscillation, of a pair of contact members periodically brought into contact with each other by the action of said oscillatable means, a nd. means for ensuring uniform contact making action between said contacts comprising a yieldable oscillatable member for effecting contact between said contact members, a portion of which has an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of said periodically oscillatable means, and means for limiting the amplitude of a portion of said yieldable oscillatable member to a definite amplitude (less than that which it would otherwise have due to the normal amplitude of oscillation of said periodically oscillatable means), said yieldable oscillatable member comprising a leaf spring mounted on said periodically oscillatable means.

7. The combination with periodically oscillatable means having a normal amplitude of oscillation, of a pair of contact members periodically brought into contact wit-h each other by the action of said oscillatable means, and means for ensuring uniform contact making action between said contacts comprising a yieldable oscillatable member for efi'ecting contact between said contact members, a portion of which has an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of said periodically oscillatable means, and means for limiting the amplitude of a portion of said yieldable oscillatable member to a definite amplitude (less than that which it would otherwise have due to the normal amplitude of oscillation of said periodically oscillatable means), said periodically oscillatable means comprising a verge shaft and said yieldable oscillatable member comprising a leaf sIn'ing extending u 'iwardly from and mounted on said verge shaft.

8. The combination with periodically oscillatable means having a normal an'iplitude of oscillation, of a pair of contact members periodically brought into contact with each other by the action of said oscillatable means, and means for ensuring uniform contact making action between said contacts comprising a yieldable oscillatable member for effecting contact between said contact members, a portion of which has an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of said periodically oscillatable means, and means for limiting the amplitude of a portion of said. yieldable oscillatable member to a definite amplitude (less than that which it would otherwise have due to the normal amplitude of oscillation of said periodically oscillatable means), one of said contacts being movably mounted, and stop means for definitely positioning said movable contacts when at rest.

9. The combination with periodically oscillatable means having a normal amplitude of oscillation, of a pair of contact members periodically brought into contact with each other by the action of said oscillatable means, and means for ensuring uniform contact making action between said contacts comprising a yieldable oscillatable member for effecting contact between said contact members, a portion of which has an amplitude proportional to the amplitude of said periodically oscillatable means, and means for limiting the amplitude of a portion of said yieldable oscillatable member to a definite amplitude (less than that which it would otherwise have due to the normal amplitude of oscillation of said periodically oscillatable means), and means for adjusting the position of one of said contact members with respect to said yieldable oscillatable member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ERNEST S. OSTLER. 

